“This election really isn’t about him alone. He is at the forefront of a movement. And because (if) we lose an election, the movement isn’t over; we go back to organising.”

Much of the South Side of the city, which is over 93 percent African-American, is enthusiastic about the prospect of an Obama second term.

But many Chicago residents say it’s tough to predict the outcome this time.

“Who is going to win? I think it’s very tight. I am hoping it’ll be Romney,” said one man.

Another said: “I’m mixed, because internationally, I think if Romney wins we may have a different image in the rest of the world. At the same time we need the economy to be humming here”.

Euronews’ correspondent Stefan Grobe, who is in the ‘Windy City’ for the big vote, said:

“After a long and bitter campaign, election day has finally arrived and the excitement is now mounting all across the country. What people fear now though is that the election will be so close that on Tuesday night, we won’t know the winner.”